This past Saturday, August 24, the Firefighter Recruit Academy 19 held a graduation ceremony to celebrate the completion of six weeks of Firefighter/Paramedic training. Our fire academies are designed to acclimate new Firefighter/Paramedic recruits to operations in San Rafael and elsewhere in Marin County. Recruits are trained to perform firefighting and medical skills at a high enough level to be trusted on emergency calls. After graduating from the academy, new recruits are assigned to a shift, station, and apparatus. One of my favorite parts about this program is that San Rafael, Central Marin, and Marinwood fire agencies train together, creating an important bond. We congratulate the nine fire recruits from the three fire departments as they take the next step in a challenging and rewarding career.